Xoxos Mass: Realistic Percussion With the Depth of Physical Modeling
The world of digital music is constantly evolving, offering musicians and sound designers new and innovative tools to realize their creative ideas. Among the plethora of virtual synthesizers and samplers, plugins that use non-standard approaches to sound generation occupy a special place. One such plugin is the VST instrument Mass from the developer Xoxos.
Mass is not just another percussion synthesizer. Its uniqueness lies in the application of physical modeling technology, namely “mass-spring” models. This approach allows synthesizing the sounds of percussion instruments, imitating their behavior in the real physical world. The result? Sounds that impress with their realism, dynamic expressiveness, and rich timbral nuances, which are difficult to achieve with traditional synthesis methods.
How Does “Mass-Spring” Physical Modeling Work?
Imagine a system where the movement of one or more masses connected by springs imitates the vibrations of a physical object – for example, a drum membrane, cymbal, or metal object. This is the principle that the core of Mass synthesis is based on.
- Vibration Reproduction: By manipulating the parameters of “masses” (their weight, quantity) and “springs” (rigidity, damping), the plugin simulates the complex oscillations that occur when an object is struck or otherwise affected.
- Impact of Boundary Conditions: Imposing certain “boundary conditions” on these movements creates unique timbral characteristics that resemble the typical ways acoustic instruments vibrate. This adds naturalness and organic quality to the sound.
- Dynamic Response: Since the model is dynamic, the plugin responds very sensitively to changes in incoming MIDI data (e.g., velocity), providing a realistic dynamic response that is critical for percussive sounds.
Combining Physics and Subtractive Synthesis
Xoxos Mass is not limited to just physical modeling. The developer has successfully combined this innovative approach with elements of classic subtractive synthesis. This expands the plugin’s capabilities, allowing not only to imitate existing percussive sounds but also to create completely new, unique timbres.
The integration of subtractive elements provides:
- Additional control over timbre: Filters, envelopes, and other typical components of subtractive synthesizers allow shaping the sound obtained from the physical model, adding various characteristics to it.
- Creation of hybrid sounds: The ability to mix generation principles allows obtaining interesting hybrid sounds that combine the realism of physical models with the characteristics of electronic synthesis.
- Performance optimization: The application of these elements in combination with optimized “mass-spring” models has led to the creation of an instrument that, despite the complexity of modeling, has a low CPU load (low-cpu solution). This makes Mass suitable for use even in resource-intensive projects and on less powerful systems.
Practical Application of Mass
Due to its capabilities, Xoxos Mass is a versatile tool for creating various percussive sounds. It is perfect for:
- Creating realistic imitations of acoustic drums (with proper setup).
- Synthesizing classic electronic percussive sounds, in particular, as noted in the description, imitating the hi-hats of the Roland TR-909 drum machine, known for its unique sound.
- Developing completely new, experimental, and futuristic percussive timbres for electronic music, soundtracks, and sound design.
- Filling arrangements with live, dynamic percussive elements that differ from static samples.
Mass VSTi is a powerful tool for those seeking fresh and flexible solutions for creating percussion. It combines the scientific approach of physical modeling with the classic capabilities of synthesis, providing musicians with unique opportunities for sound experimentation and obtaining high-quality, realistic, or completely original drum sounds. If you want to go beyond standard percussion libraries and samplers, Mass from Xoxos is worth your attention.
